Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who will be nominated this week at the Republican National Convention as John McCain's vice presidential running mate, revealed Monday that her 17-year-old daughter is pregnant.

Palin, whose presence on the GOP ticket is designed to appease the right wing of the party that has been unhappy with standardbearer McCain, was introduced to the nation on Friday. Yet, it took her three days to issue a statement about her daughter's five-month pregnancy. Indeed, when the national TV networks reported on the story, they used clips from Friday's announcement by McCain of Palin's selection for the vice presidential slot.

A close review of the clips shows the daughter first holding her five-month-old sibling, thus covering the front of her body, and then holding a blanket in front of her as she walks off the stage.

This isn't about the pregnancy. Palin, who is unwaveringly pro-life, said that her daughter would have the baby and intends to marry the father. It is about the campaign not disclosing an issue that relates to the GOP's much heralded family values platform until reporters started digging into Palin's background.

Because she is virtually unknown on the national political scene, reporters are digging into her political, professional and personal history. Palin, who would be a heart beat away from the presidency if Republicans win in November, must know that anything relating to her conservative beliefs will placed under a microscope.